Indoor VS Outdoor Hydroponics Grow Tips

Indoor VS Outdoor Hydroponics Grow Tips

Controlled Environments and Natural Settings-What Do You Need to Do Different?

Indoor VS Outdoor Hydroponics Grow Tips

healthy root systems are easy once you understand the importance of selecting the right nutrients and keep the right environment in hydroponics, INDOORS or OUTDOORS

In a lot of places the weather is mild enough to allow growing gardening crops in hydroponics systems outdoor for a long portion of the year, if not the entire calendar year-with some good management practices, and appropriate crop selection, naturally. With a climate controlled greenhouse you can operate similar to indoor gardens, with the exception that you will be hopefully getting lots of free light and easy air exchanges to keep your hydroponic crop healthy and happy above the root system. If you grow indoors using grow lights, you can garden year round in your hydroponics system–being able to grow just about any kind of plant successfully to maturity regardless of what the season is outdoors.

So we’ve touched on areas like lighting, whether natural or from grow lights as well as the importance of a healthy environment for the green and flowering parts of the plant. Now what about the hydroponics system itself–can you use a hydroponics system outdoors–and how or what do you need to do differently for it to work as well outdoors as it does indoors under lights? Lets have a look at some quick and easy to follow Indoor VS Outdoor Hydroponic Grow Tips now.

you can insulate or cover the hydroponics system with reflective and/or insulative materials to help protect both the roots and the system itself from damage due to prolonged exposure to intense sunlight. UV can harm plastics and rubber when they have not been stabilized against UV for use in hydroponics systems.

INDOOR Hydroponics Systems Operation Tips:

horizontal grow lights throw down some heat as well as light; until a plant canopy develops to shade the hydroponics system, all that light could cause the rootzone to overheat-pay extra care to monitoring root zone temperature, as not to exceed 80 Deg F (68-72 deg F is optimal)

vertical grow lights can be used to “side light” some types of crops, typically larger plants; broadsiding plants is a great way to prevent heating up your hydroponics system and encourages very large and well branched bushes or vines.

using alternative grow lighting like induction, plasma or LED not only cuts down on your power bill in lighting-these types of grow lighting tend to operate much cooler cutting down on heat problems or cooling costs.

while most professional hydroponics systems like the ones featured here (CCH2O) are designed to be leak free when operated correctly-there is always the risk of you spilling or splashing during regular gardening practices-so grow tents with water proof flooring are a great place to set up your hydroponics system when gardening indoors

OUTDOOR Hydroponics Systems Operation Tips:

solar radiation AKA sunlight can be VERY INTENSE; try and avoid prolonged exposure of the system itself to direct sunlight-a well developed plant canopy helps to prevent overheating of the system from direct sunlight

you can insulate or cover the hydroponics system with reflective and/or insulative materials to help protect both the roots and the system itself from damage due to prolonged exposure to intense sunlight. UV can harm plastics and rubber when they have not been stabilized against UV for use in hydroponics systems.

make sure the area where you set up your system is level and well drained-a slope can interfere with the way some hydroponics systems are designed to operate-check your manual or instructions if it is not clear to you.

outdoors in good conditions plants can grow HUGE in hydroponics, and very fast too; instal a float valve or keep a watchful eye on your system or reservoir levels, as water can get used up very quickly versus growing indoors. if the water plants use to stay hydrated is not replaced, the fertilizers will start to build up in the solution creating nutrient imbalances that can hurt growth

it’s easy to adapt a well designed hydroponic system to accommodate a variety of crops; growing indoors or outside.

this aeropnics cloner system from EZ Clone works great outdoors in partial shade where there is shelter from strong breezes to prevent unrooted plants from losing water too fast

These PARKAS from Current Culture are well built and designed to last while protecting roots and systems outdoors–great for indoors too; especially if you use a res chiller. The pavement this system sits on gets too hot to walk on, but the root systems never overheat–even without the use of a chiller with the PARKAS reflecting solar radiation back to the crop and away from the roots and plastic.

Want MORE Growing Tips on How to Keep Your Plants Cool in Hydroponics When it Gets HOT, Indoors or Out?

Erik Biksa
Erik Biksa has been writing about and discussing hydroponics growing, related technologies and cropping methods since 1999 in a variety of professional publications and platforms globally Erik has travelled the world learning and teaching modern growing techniques and technologies and is appreciated by many growers for his informative yet hands on approaches. Presently, he is the Editor at Grozine Hydroponics Mag.